VALLEY ROUNDUP | Van Nuys

Mental Health Center Opens Larger Facility

The San Fernando Valley Community Mental Health Center welcomed its senior citizen clients Wednesday to a new and larger facility.

The 4,000-square-foot building is twice the size of the old office on Sherman Circle and has a gym and meeting room where elderly clients can exercise and socialize, said center spokeswoman Dorie A. Paley.

The new office at 14640 Victory Blvd. is near bus stops and offers better access for the disabled, she said.

"We just did not have space anymore to serve a growing community," Paley said. "They will be much happier here."

Homebound, a program that provides mental health care through home visits, makes about 2,500 visits a year. The center will use previous Homebound space to expand its domestic and youth programs, Paley said.